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That punch—clashing with the weight of two titanic forces—shattered the sky itself. The atmosphere trembled as voices broke out in disbelief and awe. "This power… so strong! Lord Im's strength isn't inferior to Ayr's! Even the Four Lords of the Five Elders couldn't stop Ayr, but Lord Im alone is matching him head-on! Hahaha… I knew it! How could our World Government fall today?!" Members of CP0 and CP9, observing from afar, were ecstatic. Ayr's earlier devastation had crushed morale, his killing of three Elders left many trembling in despair, but now Im had arrived, and hope was reborn like a phoenix from the ashes.
Though Im's identity remained shrouded, her mere presence was enough for everyone to instinctively refer to her as Lord Im, an acknowledgment of the reverence even the Five Elders gave her. Zephyr muttered with wide eyes, "This person… to command such reverence from the Five Elders… her power truly is monstrous." Sengoku speculated grimly, "She's keeping up with Ayr's current strength. Could she be the actual sovereign of the World Government?" It made sense. The Five Elders had always ruled with supreme authority, yet never once did they refer to themselves as the ultimate rulers. But Im—whose power rivaled Ayr's—changed everything. The hidden shadow throne now stood revealed.
Watching Im trade blows with Ayr, Kong clenched his fists tightly and roared, "With Lord Im here, we may finally take down that monster Ayr!" The deaths of the three Elders had nearly shattered their morale, but Im's entrance rekindled their will. She hadn't just matched Ayr's attack, she had blocked it, without apparent injury. Crane murmured, "Even with the heavy losses we've suffered, if we can defeat Ayr here, the balance can still be preserved." Indeed, had Im not appeared, they might all have perished today.
Meanwhile, Whitebeard stood at the battlefield's edge, his massive frame still bleeding from earlier confrontations, his gaze narrowing as he watched Ayr and Im clash in the heavens. "…Damn it. This just got complicated." After Ayr killed three Elders, this was supposed to be their moment to escape. The momentum was entirely on their side—until Im appeared. Whitebeard's instincts screamed at him that this being was no ordinary enemy. And it wasn't just Im; Kong, Sengoku, Zephyr, Garp, and Crane were all still battle-capable and surrounding them. "Even with our strength," Whitebeard muttered, "leaving this place alive is starting to look unlikely…"
Nearby, a heavily wounded, scarred Elder—kneeling but defiant—sneered at Whitebeard. "Even if we've suffered grave losses, even if 80% of Mariejois is rubble, if we kill Ayr and bury you monsters here, it will be worth it." Whitebeard didn't respond; he didn't need to. He could feel it—the weight of death pressing against them like an invisible wall. Their window to escape was closing.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Aokiji pushed up his sunglasses, his brow slick with sweat. "This… this battle has completely reshaped my understanding of power." Originally, they had only come to observe the clash, but what they saw was something far beyond Admiral-level combat. Ayr had fought like a god, and now Im stood toe to toe with him. Akainu growled, fists trembling not from fear but determination. "I'll rise to that level too. I'll surpass Ayr… I swear it." His pride burned too deeply to allow this humiliation to linger. Kizaru, arms crossed, said slowly, "We don't know who exactly these monsters are, but this battle… it's nearing its end."
Mid-air, above the ruins of Mariejois, Ayr's gaze locked with Im's. Her eyes were calm, piercing, ancient. As expected… she's strong, Ayr thought. That last punch—he had poured nearly everything into it, even pushing the limits of his Rinnegan-enhanced body, channeling both Conqueror's Haki and Sage Mode enhancements, and yet Im had blocked it effortlessly. She's lived for 800 years… her strength isn't just monstrous, it's bottomless. Ayr's expression grew grim. His "Experience Card"—a borrowed power boost—was nearing expiration. He needed to finish this now if he wanted to eliminate Im and break the last line of the World Government.
But then—Im turned around. Calmly. Gracefully. "You can leave now." Ayr froze. "…What?" He blinked. Did he mishear? She wasn't attacking, she wasn't charging up a final technique, she simply turned her back. Why? Does she think she can't beat me? No—Ayr dismissed that thought immediately. She hadn't even shown her full hand. Then… maybe she feared the fallout of continuing? The destruction of the national treasure of the Celestial Dragons? That blow just now—it wasn't an all-out attack. It was a test, a measure of his power. She doesn't want this to escalate, Ayr realized. She's protecting something deeper.
In those few moments of thought, Garp suddenly roared from the rubble below, "We can't let this monster go!!!" Ayr had invaded Mariejois, killed three of the Five Elders, and nearly brought down the Holy Land. Now, Im was going to let him leave? Kong bellowed toward the heavens, veins bulging, "Commander Im! Ayr is near his limit! If we join forces now, we can finish him!" Even Sengoku's voice cracked as he shouted, "The Five Elders have fallen, but the five of us remain! With your strength—we can kill him!" They had assumed Im's appearance was for one purpose: to annihilate Ayr. And yet—she was stepping back.
Even the Elder with the long katana, still kneeling, raised his head slightly and asked quietly, "Lord Im… is letting Ayr leave… truly what's best for the World Government?" Im turned her head only slightly, her voice calm and cold. "Ask not what you are forbidden to know." "Yes," the Elder replied instantly, lowering his head again. Despite the deaths of his comrades, he obeyed unquestioningly. Puppets to the very end.
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